Where does “grêtan” come from?
grêtan (Frankish) comes from Proto-Germanic grētaną, from Proto-Indo-European gʰrēw-, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰer- — to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines.
grêtan (Frankish): to weep, mourn, lament
Ancestry of “grêtan”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Proto-Germanic | grētaną | to weep, to cry |
| 2 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰrēw- | to grind, rub |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰer- | to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines |